Compass of Mystery
by SilentDreaming
Summary: .:Takes place after Max Heart:. Hikari finds a compass in the park and shows it to Nagisa and Honoka. But then they're all suddenly teleported to the Land of Compasses. Then a brand-new adventure begins for these three.
1. The Mysterious Compass

**A/N**

Here I present you my first Pretty Cure fanfiction for the site. Like in the summary, this takes place a month after _Max Heart_. I was inspired by a certain video game so you may notice similarities throughout. Some characters from other PreCure series make cameo appearances throughout this fic.

I shall now let you read in peace. This chapter might be a little fast-paced so just bear with it, okay? All characters belong to Toei.

-**SilentDreaming**-

* * *

-_On one partly cloudy day_- 

"I'm so bored..." Nagisa sighed, and she tossed her head back. "I know. After we beat those evil guys just last month, things has been kind of plain around here." Honoka agreed, taking a bite from her takoyaki.

"What evil guys?" Akane asked, popping up out of nowhere. "Wha--?! Akane??" Nagisa gasped, jumping up in her chair. "We were just talking about... this video game she finished. It was hard, right?" Honoka lied, elbowing Nagisa underneath the table.

"Oh, I see." Akane smiled. She placed a fresh tray of takoyaki on their table, Nagisa's eyes fixed on them and her mouth watering. "Now, Nagisa. Don't be too rude to Akane-san." Honoka said.

"Nah, that's okay. I get used to it." Their older friend said, tucking a stray strand of her hair under her red bandana. "Come on, Hikaru. Let's make some more." She told the blonde-haired little boy standing next to her. Hikaru nodded and followed Akane back to the stand.

"How strange." Nagisa stated, gulping down her soda. "Vessel for the Dark King's soul... Sounds a little sad. But at least now we beat him." Honoka mumbled.

As mentioned, they beat Dark King again for the second time last month. They beat him before, but he somehow survived so they had to go and finish him off once and for all. Hikari was supposed to disappear along with that little boy whom Hikari nicknames Hikaru, but Hikari wanted to stay here in the Garden of Rainbows.

Life has been slightly boring, but they kept having fun. They wished for a little action here and there though.

"Yeah, mipo." Mipple spoke from Honoka's PreCure cellphone attached to her bookbag. "At least you two still have us and Hikari-mipo." The pink little critter added.

"Yup." Nagisa agreed, eating her second serving of her favorite treat. "Hey! Gimme some!" Honoka playfully argued. "Naw! You ate three bowls yesterday!" Nagisa taunted. "I was just hungry!"

Hikaru watched them talk curiously. "Here, take these to the other customers." Akane said, handing him a tray of takoyaki. Hikaru nodded, and went off. "Gee, I wonder where Hikari is...?" She pondered aloud, taking note of Hikari's absence.

* * *

-_Meanwhile_-

Hikari was walking around in the park, taking in the surroundings of her new home. "It's nice to be in the Garden of Light, but it's more nicer here in the Garden of Rainbows." She spoke to herself.

She walked past a small playground, and a couple of ice cream stands. She smiled as she saw a small pigeon fly up to her and perch on her shoulder. Hikari broke a small piece of her sandwich off and held her finger to it's mouth. It pecked at the bread, then chirped and flew off.

Hikari continued wandering aimlessly around when her eye caught onto something.

"Huh...?" She said, finishing the rest of her sandwich. She took a step back, and forward again. She saw that same glint in a dense patch of treese and bushes.

Hikari made sure nobody was watching, and went to investigate. She pushed through thick branches and stepped over exposed tree roots. "Gee, these bushes and trees are sure..." She muttered, and then she emerged in this small clearing.

She spotted a small compass in the middle of this clearing. Hikari went up to it due to pure curiousity, and kneeled down beside it.

The compass was painted a brilliant silver that surprisingly changed hues like a pearl, and glass covered the needle pointing north, east, west, and south. There was a strange symbol beneath the needle.

Hikari picked it up to give it a closer look. She flicked her wrist to make the compass glint in the dim sunlight. "A compass...?" She mumbled. Hikari kept examining it. It seemed to have belonged to nobody, so Hikari tucked it safely in her pocket.

"Goodness! I have to go!" Hikari gasped, taking a look at her watch. She ran off, back to Akane's takoyaki stand.

* * *

"Hikari's sure late today." Akane said, sitting down beside the girls when the rest of the customers left. "Yeah, now that you mention it." Honoka looked around. It was almost sundown, and no sign of Hikari.

"She's probably on one of her usual walks-popo." Porun suddenly spoke up. "Shush!" Nagisa hissed. "Hm?" Akane looked at the sandy-haired teen. "Um, nothing!" She waved her hands. Akane took a peek underneath the table, and saw the white and green critter in Nagisa's lap.

"What's that?" Akane asked. "Um... It's... It's an interactive toy!" Nagisa joked. She lifted Porun onto the table. He made a small grunt. "He somtimes gets unruly so I have to say 'shush'." Nagisa made the cheesiest smile Honoka ever seen.

"Cute, eh?" Nagisa poked at Porun's forehead. "Ouch, popo!" He yelped. "See?" She smiled again, hoping that Akane would fall for it.

"Interesting toy. Do you either of yous have anymore?" Akane said. Honoka shot Nagisa a worried glance, and then Mepple and Mipple silently turned into their animal forms like Porun. Honoka lifted them up onto the table.

"Just these two." Honoka replied.

"Cute! They match!" Akane poked at Mipple's forehead. "Mipo!" She yelped. "Mepo, mepo." Mepple suddenly started saying over and over. "Hey! If you do that when Mepple's around, he'll get a little jealous." Nagisa said. "Oh, okay." Akane took her hand back.

"Akane-san, Akane-san...!" Hikaru tugged at Akane's sleeve. "Yes?" She turned to him, then she saw Hikari running towards them.

"Hey, Hikari! About time!" Nagisa waved. She was panting by the time Hikari got to the table.

"I'm _so_ sorry, guys." Hikari apologized.

"Where'd you go? You've been gone, like, the entire afternoon!" Akane threw her arms in the air. "I was... I was in the park." Hikari replied. And then the compass slipped from her pocket and fell with a loud 'clang!'.

"What?" Honoka said, picking up the compass Hikari found. "How pretty." Nagisa, Honoka, and Akane oohed. "I found this and it seemed to have been forgotten about." Hikari told them.

And then they heard a small 'ding-ding-ding' of the waiting bell at the stand's counter. "Oh, gotta go. Looks like I have a few more people!" Akane stood up and went back inside the small portable trailer with Hikaru.

"Why are Mepple, Mipple, and Porun out??" Hikari then asked Nagisa and Honoka when the other two left. "Um... Akane thought they were interactive plushies." Honoka answered. "Oh." Hikari breathed a sigh of relief.

"That lady poked me, Hikari!" Porun weeped.

Right after the critter said that, the compass Honoka placed back on the table started glowing. "What?" Nagisa gasped. A beam of light shot out from the top, then a blinding flash ensued.

"Waaaaaah!!" The girls and the critters cried.

The instant the flash disappeared, Nagisa, Honoka, Hikari, Mepple, Mipple and Porun were gone! They were no longer sitting at their usual table.

When Akane came back with Hikaru and the two new customers, Akane noticed they were not there, just their bookbags. "They're gone...?" Hikaru whispered. "But they left their bags..." Akane noted. The customers seated at the table while they placed the grils' bags on another table.

"They probably went home."

* * *

-_Meanwhile_-

"Whoaaa!!" Nagisa yelped. She and the other two were flying around inside this weird portal. A assorted color of lights danced around them like fire. It was like as if they were flying around inside an aurora.

"Where are we going?!?" Honoka asked aloud. "I d-don't know!" Hikari replied.

"Mepo!"

"Mipo!"

"Popo!"

The critters were floating around in front of them, really frightened and frantic. "Mepple!" Nagisa reached out, and grabbed his small paw. Honoka did the same as Hikari did.

"I'm scared-popo!" Porun buried his head into Hikari's chest. "I know." She said, nodding.

They held their animal friends close to them as they gone faster. The lights flashed by, now like as if the Extreme Luminario light was passing through them. "Now what??" Nagisa yelped again.

The compass was like a star leading their way. It lead them up, right, left, down, and up again.

And then Nagisa felt her PreCure power stripping away. In fact, she saw glowing indigo magic bleed out from all points in her body!

Honoka and Hikari were just like her, instead Honoka's magic was white as Hikari's was golden yellow. "What?!" The gasped in shock. And then the last of the magic was wafted away, disappearing behind them.

They continued flying around, following the compass. And then it made the same bright flash again. They screamed as the flash enveloped them.

_To Be Continued..._

* * *


	2. The Land of Compasses

**A/N**

Here I present you the second chapter. It turned out to be written longer than expected so mind the longness. Btw, you may notice I call Mepple, Mipple, Porun and other animals like them 'critters' because I don't really have any other names for them. Heh heh.

Be good. Read in peace.

-**SilentDreaming**-

* * *

"...Waaah!!" Nagisa, Honoka, and Hikari screamed as they fell out of a portal. They fell to the ground with three loud thumps.

"Mepo!"

"Mipo!"

"Popo!"

The critters flew out from their arms when they landed and they rolled along in front of them. When they stopped, they turned back into their commune forms. "Ouch." Everyone grunted.

"At least we aren't in that weird wormhole-ish place..." Nagisa mumbled while she rubbed the back of her head. "Where are we...?" Honoka added, opening her eyes. Her eyes met with something bright.

The compass floated down in front of the girls, still glowing brightly. Suddenly, it broke apart into eight parts, and seven of the pieces flew off in different directions. The eighth piece fell on top of Porun.

"Now what??" Hikari said, bracing herself if they were going to fly around in another portal. But nothing happened. "Ouch, something hit me-popo." Porun weeped.

When Nagisa opened her eyes, she gasped. "THIS is not the Garden of Hope _or_Light!!" She yelled. "What do you mean?" Hikari asked, opening her eyes too.

"You're right, Nagisa!" Honoka put a hand to her mouth.

"...Oh my God!!" They all screeched.

They were all not in either the Garden of Hope nor Garden of Light. They were in a small, flowery patch in the side of a road. In front was the critters still in commune form right in the middle of a road leading to a town and beyond.

Hikari went to get them and the remaining compass piece while Nagisa and Honoka took in their surroundings. "I see the sea that way." Honoka said, pointing behind. There was a brilliant blue sea about a mile southward. But still, it wasn't the sea seen back home.

"Even I don't know this kind of Garden." Hikari stated. "Well, why won't we explore around like we did before?" Nagisa asked. "Okay then." Honoka stood up and dusted her skirt.

They followed the path were they saw a sign that pointed east, reading "_Auroraport_".

After an hour or so, they stopped when the road ended in front of a tall gate. "Looks like it won't open." Honoka said while she tried opening one side of the gate. This gate was surrounded by sturdy brick walls, about several feet thick, certainly encasing the town inside. They needed to find another way in.

"Let's go this way." Nagisa started walking around the walls. Hikari and Honoka followed. Twenty more minutes gone by when they stopped in front of a wooden fence. When Hikari looked outside this fence, a twenty-feet drop lead to foamy waters.

"Look!" Honoka suddenly said, pointing to a small pathway leading to a port beside them. They decided to walk on this pathway. The floorboards creaked with every step, but it wasn't in danger of breaking apart.

The pathway ended when the girls came into this port. Several large docks had boats locked onto them, and crates lined the walls here and there. Some (human!) sailors where running around, certainly looking busy.

"I guess we're not the only humans around again." Nagisa said, surprised and looked around this busy sea port. "You think?" A sailor said, popping up in front of Hikari.

"Everyone here can turn into creatures if they'd like." The critter told them. "Well, where are we?" Hikari asked it. "Pfft, you girls certainly aren't from around these parts..." The sailor chuckled.

Then he cleared his throat. "You three are..."

"In Auroraport, the capital of this land, the Land of Compasses." He finished then walked away, leaving the girls open-mouthed. If their jaws weren't hinged, their lower jaw might've dropped to the ground.

"Land of Compasses?!?" They gasped.

And then another human-critter came up to them. This time, this one was slightly taller than the rest, and wore a small suit of armor. "Might one of yous bear the Mystic Compass?" He asked. "Um, what compass?" Nagisa said.

Hikari pulled out the compass piece she picked up. "This used to be a complete compass but the other pieces flew off." Hikari showed the knight the piece.

Suddenly, he yelped. "Did yous break the Mystic Compass?!?" He gasped. "Um, not exactly but we found it like this." Honoka replied. "We saw seven beams of light shoot out from it, and I guess this was the last part." Hikari added.

The knight started shaking his head. "The Princess is sure gonna be angry..." He sighed. "Princess who?" Nagisa asked.

"Okay, I'll take you three over to the castle." It said, beckoning them.

They followed it down the port towards some stairs. While they were walking up, someone in the shadows looked. "Heh heh heh..." The person chuckled evilly.

"There she is, at last... The blond haired girl..."

* * *

Nagisa, Honoka, and Hikari tried to bear weird stares from other '_humans_'. "Gee." Nagisa mumbled.

The town they entered was certainly not like the other towns they've been into last time. This town, Auroraport, looked exactly like it was obviously built by humans. Their shoes made a thick clicking sound across the cobblestone streets. Each building looked kind of ramshackle like but was sturdy. The roofs were tiled with faded shingles, and the windows were stained with age. The paint was peeling here and there, and garbage littered corners.

"What kind of place is this?" Honoka whispered to the other two. "Dunno." Nagisa whispered back. They saw three (regular) critters fighting over a loaf of bread, and two more arguing their pantses off. One pushed another, taking it's money away.

"Seems like this town is filled with rogues." Hikari muttered. "That's how life is like here." The knight said, looking over his shoulder.

They kept walking northward into the northern part of Auroraport. This part of town was less laden with houses, only five were here. Also, this part was like a transportation area, because they saw a sign pointing towards a train station.

The knight lead them out of town and up a tall hill. Atop this hill was a tall, and majestic castle. The bricks were a beautiful white marble, and several turrets poked out from a bigger turret. The roof tiles were a deep maroon and small flags tipped the top part of each turret.

"Wow." Nagisa, Honoka, and Hikari breathed.

"Here we are." The knight said, leading them inside the tall gate entrance. It turned back into creature form, and lead them inside. Underfoot was a red carpet with gold trim. Chandeliers lined the ceiling, and antique looking curtains draped over the windows.

They walked down a few hallways, through some doors, and then they got into a bigger and more spacier hallway. It certainly lead to the throne room.

Their feet made rhythemic sounds over the carpet as they gone up a small set of stairs to another door but this door was more bigger than the entrance door. Two more knights opened the door to let them through.

When Nagisa, Honoka, and Hikari followed the creature, they stopped when it held a hand in front of them.

"Princess, I bought the girls here." It said.

Their gazes followed the critter's, and they saw a beautiful woman sitting at the throne. She didn't look much older than Akane, unlike the Queen. Elegant, amethyst purple hair in two very long ponytails billowed out from behind her. A small tiara sat atop her head.

"Thank you very much." The Princess thanked the knight. He bowed, then went out the room.

Honoka and Hikari bowed. Nagisa just stood there when Honoka poked her thigh. "Oops!" Nagisa said, noticing the way the other two were.

The Princess stood from the throne, her shimmery pale purple dress flowing outward. Her dress was cut close to her body, the sleeves were bell-shaped, and gloves were held by her middle fingers. She walked towards them.

"May you three possess the Mystic Compass?" She asked. Hikari pulled out the compass piece from her pocket. She showed it to her. "I'm sorry but we found the compass like so." Hikari looked down with an ashamed face.

"Oh my." The Princess lightly gasped. A long silence set between them all.

"So... the prophecy is coming true, after all." She sighed. "What prophecy?" Honoka asked politely. "It's about..." The Princess spoke, then she stopped.

"Wait, I should introduce myself. My name is Princess Yuuki, but call me just Yuuki." Princess Yuuki introduced herself and did a small curtsy. And then she stood straight.

"Now, about the prophecy... Come with me." Yuuki said. She walked away, towards a door behind the throne. She waved a hand over it, then it magically opened. Nagisa, Honoka, and Hikari followed.

* * *

The four walked up a spiraling staircase. Candles dotted the walls along the way, giving this staircase a pale orange glow. "Now what-mepo?" Mepple whispered. Nagisa shrugged.

About ten minutes passed when they got to another door. Yuuki crossed her arms, and muttered an ineligible chant. The door's seal burnt away, then she opened the door.

Inside this room, of the biggest turret seen outside, there was a huge mirror at the other end of where they were. The mirror was tinted a dark blue and pure gold lined around the glass.

"Now, I'll show you what the prophecy is." Yuuki said. Nagisa, Honoka, and Hikari stood quietly as Yuuki waved a hand over the mirror. "Show us the prophecy." Yuuki called out.

At the command, the mirror started glowing. An over-head image of the kingdom wavered on like swirling water. This image gave off a serene, graceful feeling. Lush plains, glittering waters, and happy creatues and even humans were wandering around on the streets as more images came on.

"This kingdom, as you know, is the capital of this land. It formerly used to be called the Land of Jewels. The Land had a neighboring land, what was formerly called the Land of Sunlight. Both lands, here and there were in good spirits and never caused war with one another." Yuuki begun.

"Land of Jewels?" Honoka said. "Yes." The Princess nodded.

"All was good for many centuries... until, that fateful day." Yuuki's voice became somber and deep. The girls stared with shocked faces.

"The ruler of the Land of Sunlight came across a mysterious key, and it brought him to here, to the Door of Eternality. Beyond this door was an evil spirit sealed away, but, foolishly and not knowing of the door's legend, the ruler opened the door--" Yuuki cleared her throat,

"...And out came the Chaos Shadow from the depths of the forbidden Land of Darkness."

The three gasped as a frightening image of said monster came flying out the door and brought destruction to both Land of Jewels and Sunlight. People were running for their lives, but some weren't so lucky.

Houses were on fire everywhere, and even forests were ablaze. Knights tried to fight against this force but it always overpowered them.

"...As you could see, this monster caused destruction and disrupted peace. Despair settled upon both lands and nothing worked against it. Bravest of knights fell." Yuuki told them, in the most saddest voice she could muster. Nagisa, Honoka, and Hikari couldn't say a word, they were all too shocked.

"The Land of Sunlight became no more, and it's people fled to here in hopes to find safety even for a short while. The Land of Jewels was beginning to fall as well." The Princess gazed into the mirror with as much sadness as Nagisa, Honoka, and Hikari felt.

"When everyone's hope began to drop, and when doom was nigh..."

"...Four lights shone from the darkness, whom people call the Four Legendary Lights." Yuuki's voice rose suddenly. The girls stared again.

* * *

"These people formed an item called the Mystic Compass, where five magic forces were sealed inside." A compass shown up, which looked exactly alike the compass Hikari found.

The first Light summoned the element Earth, and used a special attack out of it. The attack formed a ring around the Shadow, immobilizing it. The second Light summoned Air, and formed a strong barrier around it as well. The third Light summoned Fire, and immobilized the Shadow even further. And the fourth Light summoned Water, forming a gap in it's defense.

And then all four Lights summoned Energy, where they combined all their power and used a boosted attack that completely destroyed the Chaos Shadow and sealed the remainder of it's soul back into the Door of Eternality.

"These four heroes fought with all their might and successfully sealed it back away again, forming a stronger seal on the door.." Yuuki explained.

"The four heroes ventured inside the Door, and used the Compass to form an eternal maze from where the Shadow was locked. And then they shut the Door, using the Compass as it's key. But right after their amazing accomplishment, they collapsed."

"The last of their power went inside the Mystic Compass, all what's left in their memory. Because of these four, this land wouldn't exist. Everyone were very grateful for these heroes, and decided to rename this land as the Land of Compasses."

An image of the compass wafted on for a while, then vanished.

"...Whoa." Nagisa breathed. "How sad, yet amazing." Honoka mumbled, noting the Land's history. "They sacrificed themselves for the good of all..." Hikari added.

"Yes. To this day, everyone eventually forgot the legend but it lingers on in hearts and books." Yuuki said. She picked up a book, and it read _Legend of the Four Lights_.

"And now, for the main part of the prophecy," She waved a hand over the mirror again, making the girls jump in surprise.

On came an image of an evil-looking woman. "This woman, as you can see, is named Twila. She had taken over the destroyed Land of Sunlight many decades ago and renamed it the Land of Night, because it's always night over there." Yuuki said, gesturing towards the mirror.

"For many countless days, she searched for the Mystic Compass so that she can resurruct the Chaos Shadow to bring destruction again. But this time, to all Lands and Gardens in existence." Yuuki said, voice lowering again. The girls gasped in unison.

"_ALL_ Lands _**and**_ Gardens?!?" They repeated. Yuuki nodded. "Yes. Even the Gardens from which you three originate from; the Garden of Rainbows, and Light." She said. "And now here's the part where you girls come in."

"As she continued to search for the Compass, my mother gave me the Compass to hide somewhere safe. Twila discovered this, and executed my mom for the Compass but I managed to escape. While I ran, I realized the Compass had the power to teleport chosen people to other places, so, I threw it inside it's transporting portal and I guessed it ended up in the Garden of Rainbows, a Garden where Twila doesn't know of." Yuuki explained. "So that's why I found it there?" Hikari asked her.

The Princess nodded. "For many days again, Twila searched for it, but now that you three found it and broke it, Twila knows it's somewhere here, and has found seven of the pieces in other towns. But the last remains with you." Yuuki glanced at Hikari.

"Now that she knows the last piece and you girls are in this land, she has many of her underlings patrol here..." Yuuki cleared her throat again. "...So, I'm going to ask you this request."

Nagisa, Honoka, and Hikari stood straight. "Please retrieve back the other pieces, and destroy Twila. You're the only ones who can do it; the prophecy said that three girls from a certain Garden will come with the Compass and will destroy a new evil."

They stared at Yuuki with wide eyes. "Us?? Destroy Twila??" They repeated.

"Yes. If you girls want to return back to your Garden, you'll have to find the other pieces because in the Compass' current state, it's completely unable to use it's teleporting ability." Yuuki replied, getting a stern look. "And... if you want your family and friends to be safe from danger... Or else all life will fall under Twila's power..."

They suddenly glanced at each other. Then they looked back at Yuuki and nodded. "We'll do it!" Nagisa, Honoka, and Hikari said.

"Very good." Yuuki spoke, and then Hikari raised a hand. "Where do we go?" Hikari asked. "Oh, I almost forgot!" The Princess lightly gasped.

She reached behind the mirror, and got out a map and gave it to Nagisa. "This is a map of this land, but the marks on it are where the pieces are." Yuuki told her. "Alright!." She nodded.

"But be careful, as I said earlier, Twila has underlings patrolling the entire land and has especially stronger ones guarding the Pieces." Yuuki added. But then Honoka raised her hand. "I get the point, but what do we do to fight the monsters when we can't transform?" Honoka asked.

"Oh, you girls can't transform? By the way, what are yous really?" Yuuki replied.

"Me and Honoka are called Pretty Cure, and Hikari is called Shiny Luminous." Nagisa said. "Oh, Pretty Cure and Shiny Luminous?" Yuuki repeated. The girls nodded.

"Oh, alright. For your predicament, I'll give yous something." Yuuki reached behind the mirror again, and pulled out three diamond-like pendants. She gave one each to Nagisa, Honoka, and Hikari.

"These are called the Aurora Jewels. Put them near your communes and say your transformation calls to transform again. I understand why you girls can't transform, so, here." Yuuki said and instructed them.

"Okay." They agreed, slipping the pendants around their necks.

"Now, you girls good luck on your new adventure and be careful! The fate of everyone's lives rest on your shoulders."

_To Be Continued_

* * *


	3. Target, Hikari!

**A/N**

Third chapter, coming right up. I don't have much to say here, writer's block for now.

-**SilentDreaming**-

* * *

-_Back in the Garden of Rainbows_-

"Gee, Nagisa has been gone for four hours and she isn't back yet." Nagisa's mom, Rie, sighed as she gazed at the clock. "Isn't she at Yukishiro-san's place?" Takashi asked. "Oh! That reminds me!" Rie motioned Ryouta to get the phone.

"Where's sis?" He asked when he gave his mother the phone. "Dunno." Rie said as she dialed Honoka's place. It rung three times then someone picked up the other line.

"Yes?" An elderly voice replied. "Do you know where Nagisa is? She said she'd gone to your place." Rie said. "Oh, she and Honoka left to go to the park shortly after Nagisa-chan came. But both hasn't come back yet." Sanae sadly answered.

"Oh... I see. Well, bye." Rie pressed a button on the cordless, then gave it back to Ryouta.

'So?" Takashi asked while he took a gulp of his coffee. "No. She isn't there." Rie hung her head. Her husband shook his head and set back down his mug. "I'll drive around." He said and stood up, and grabbed his jacket.

"Can I come??" Ryouta spoke, then Rie just held him back. "No, Ryouta, you stay here." Rie said. "Aww, I wanna look for my sis, too!" He whined. "I know, but we have to wait until your father comes home. Then all of us will try tomorrow." Rie reassured him.

* * *

-_At Akane's takoyaki stand_-

"Akane-san...?" Hikaru said. "Yes?" Akane replied as she gone to switch the 'Open-Closed' sign to 'Closed'. "Where's Hikari-onee-san...?" Hikaru asked her. "Dunno." Akane shook her head and gone out to get the girls' bags outside.

Hikaru got a somber look, then looked outside. He saw someone run towards the trailer.

"Akane-san...!" He suddenly said. "What now?" Akane asked, then Nagisa's father walked up to her. "Is Nagisa or Honoka here?" Takashi asked her. She shrugged. "They both left suddenly. They didn't say where they're going." Akane answered.

"Oh, ok. I'll come back tomorrow." He waved a little and left. "Now what...?" Hikaru said. "Seems like Nagisa-, Honoka-, and Hikari-san are missing." Akane replied as she shut the trailer door.

"Okay..." Hikaru whispered.

'_Where are you, Hikari...?_' He thought.

* * *

-_In the Land of Compasses_-

"I guess we'll get going." Hikari said to Princess Yuuki. "Farewell. Come back when you girls find a Compass piece, or, a Shard." Yuuki said back. They nodded when they were escorted outside.

"Now we're back on an adventure." Nagisa sighed and tossed her head back as they gone back to town. "It's the only way to get back home." Honoka said.

"Yeah, but finding the rest of the Shards?? That's longer when we stayed in the Garden of Hope or Clouds!" Nagisa screeched. "I know, but we have no other choice." Hikari reassured her.

The girls were given curious looks again while they gone back into Auroraport. They looked for a spot to look at the map, then sat on a bench. "So, here's all the towns in the Land?" Honoka said as Nagisa unfurled it.

The first town marked in ink was named Crimsonburg, somewhere east of here. They spotted a gnarly looking fortress drawn above it, where darker ink was circled around it.

"Crimsonburg, eh?" Nagisa said. They scanned the map for other places for the other Shards.

The second town was north of here, a place named Arangedale and a tree close to it. The third place was somewhere east of the tree called Sunshine Town. Down to the left of the map was a dark-looking placed called Moonlightville, and another gnarly looking mansion above. The fifth mark was at an large island called Sapphire Key, the sixth mark at a town south of Crimsonburg called Aoiro Heights, then the last mark at a lonely little town called Murasaki Outpost.

Beyond the lands borders was the dreaded Land of Night where Twila made her home. The outpost was closest to the border and they saw a line drawn between the Land and the outpost.

"Where's the seventh piece...?" Nagisa squinted her eyes, then she saw a fortress close to the last mark. "Probably there." Honoka pointed to it.

"Now that's alot of places to look for each Shard-mepo." Mepple spoke from Nagisa's commune.

"But we'll try, right-mipo?" Mipple said to Honoka. She nodded.

"We need some time to prepare before setting off." Hikari stretched back. "Yeah." Nagisa closed up the map and stuffed it in her pocket when it magically shrunk to fit. Now it was no bigger than the Shard Hikari had.

"Let's ask around how to get to Crimsonburg." Honoka suggested when they stood back up. They started asking around to know a way to get there. Some critters suggested walking, and a few said to take a small pipe.

They sat back down on the bench again thirty minutes later. "Walking. It took us fifty minutes to get here from where we entered the Land." Nagisa stated. "It would take longer to get to Crimsonburg." She added.

"You're right..." Honoka put a hand to her chin. "A pipe sounds more faster, but... Hey, a _pipe_?? Gross. You'll never know what lives in there." Nagisa said. Hikari shuddered. "We could take the train." She suddenly suggested. "...No money though. We left our bags back home." Honoka dug through her pockets and nothing.

They sighed in unison. Several long moments passed when Hikari heard a faint echo in her mind.

'_Hikari._' A voice said. '_Yes, Queen?_' Hikari said back, using her mind. _'If you don't know how to go to the next town, ask the creature in the bar._' The Queen suggested, then her melodious voice faded away like a dying breeze.

"I need to go somewhere." Hikari stood up. "Okay." Nagisa said. Hikari took the Shard in her pocket and gave it to Honoka. "Just in case for pickpocketers." She told her, then walked away.

"Come on Nagisa, let's look around town again." Honoka said to her friend.

* * *

As Hikari walked to the local bar, she warily entered the building. Some people were talking jovially away while drinking sodas and eating snacks. One person was passed out in animal form. She nervously went over to the main counter.

A creature was polishing a tall glass with a small napkin when he spotted Hikari. "May I help you, miss?" It asked, setting the cup down. "Is there a fast and easy way to get to Crimsonburg?" She said.

"Hmm... I'm not sure but I heard there's an underground passage that leads there but ends in the Scarlet Meadows. Luckily the meadows are near Crimsonburg. You can try that way." It replied. "Thank you very much, sir." Hikari bowed a little.

"Wait." It said before she turned heel. She stopped and looked. "It's really dark in the tunnels so you need several lanterns just in case your current one runs out." It advised her. Then she left, nodding.

Someone in a dark, shady outfit was sitting at a nearby table. He looked as Hikari left the bar.

"Heh heh..." He chuckled evilly.

* * *

Hikari was walking back to the bench where the other two were at. She found a blank piece of paper and a pencil. She wrote down what the tailor told her. "Underground foothpath. Need about four lanterns." She mumbled to herself.

"D-Did he say it was d-dark-popo?" Porun shakily asked. "Yes." She replied, folding up the paper into quaters. "Me hate the dark--" He was saying when Hikari started walking again, but was cut off abruptly.

Someone karate-chopped her hard right on the back of her neck. Hikari choked out roughly, then collapsed to the ground with a loud thud. Her fall caused Porun, in commune form, to fall out as well. He fell some ways in front of her into a small patch of grass.

"Popo!" He grunted. When he 'poof'-ed into animal form, he gasped as he peeked through the thick stalks of the grass: he had just seen someone carry Hikari up onto his shoulder, and then vanish into thin air.

"Hikari!!"

* * *

"Hikari has been gone a long time. Where do you think she is, Honoka?" Nagisa asked. "I don't know." Honoka said back. They started looking for her, and then they heard crying as they entered the central part of town.

"You hear that?" Honoka cupped a hand to an ear. Nagisa searched around them when they saw something move in the grass. She warily picked up a long stick and approached the grass. She prepared to strike when Porun let out a small yelp when he saw Nagisa with the stick.

"Don't hurt me-popo!" He weeped. "Oh, it's just him." Honoka sighed. But then they noticed he was crying, and without Hikari.

"Where's Hikari?" Nagisa asked as he picked up the crying critter. He sobbed. "No, no, no!" He just continued to weep more. She petted his forehead to calm him down. "Did something happen?" Honoka softly said.

"S-s-someone kidnapped Hikari!" Porun blurted out with a teary cry.

Nagisa and Honoka stared with stunned faces. "Really?!" They gasped. Porun nodded as he cried again. Nagisa's arms became limp so Honoka had to hold him.

"Oh. My. Goodness." Nagisa paused between each word to accentuate her disbelief. It was then she saw a folded piece of paper. She walked up to it while Honoka comforted Porun. When Nagisa read the note, she waved to Honoka.

"Yes?" Honoka asked, still holding Porun. "Look at this!" Nagisa waved the paper in front of her. Porun suddenly stopped crying and gasped. "That's the note what Hikari wrote-popo!" He said.

Nagisa cleared her throat then read it aloud. "Underground footpath, need four lanterns. Will end up in the Scarlet Meadows. The meadows are near Crimsonburg."

"A way to Crimsonburg, yes!" Nagisa finished and refolded the note.

"Probably the only way to find Hikari again is to find the First Compass Shard-mipo." Mipple said. "You're right-mepo. That'll give us clues to where she is, also to find her-mepo." Mepple added in agreement.

"I see." Nagisa said as Porun leapt into her arms when Honoka pulled out the piece Hikari gave her earlier. She looked at it longingly, then clenched her free fist in determination.

"For Hikari's and everyone's sake, let's find the rest of the shards." Honoka firmly said and tucked the Shard back into her pocket. Nagisa nodded.

* * *

-_Later_-

"...You girls be careful, it's awfully dark down there." The guard said as Nagisa and Honoka were given two lanterns each. It opened a small door that lead inside a small shack. It lead them to another door, where candles were dimly lighting the room.

It opened the other door, and it creaked open with an eerie sound. A musty smell filled their noses. "Good luck." The guard said. The girls waved, lit one lantern, and ventured off down the steps into the blackness of the footpath.

"I hope they'll be okay... They're girls after all."

_To Be Continued_

* * *


	4. First Compass Shard: Crimsonburg

**A/N**

For a treat, it's decided that I will post this chapter though I just recently uploaded the third chapter just today. I'm not sure when the girls go back to school since they graduated at the end of _Max Heart_ but oh well. Characters belong to Toei.

-**SilentDreaming**-

* * *

-_In the Garden of Rainbows_- 

"Is Nagisa late again?" Shiho asked Rina when the students at Verone Academy where filing into the main doors. "As always." Rina sighed. Five minutes later, they gave up on waiting and gone inside because it was almost time for class.

It was a fresh, new morning here in the Garden of Rainbows. But nobody seemed relaxed at all on this new school day.

"Take your seats, everyone." Yoshimi-sensei said to the class when everyone sat down. She scanned the room for anyone late. Everyone was in, except two desks were empty.

"Hm? Honoka-san and Nagisa-san are not here." She curiously said.

Right then someone knocked on the door. Yoshimi held a hand up as she gone to answer it. She'd been whispered a few words, then the person left. The middle-aged young woman walked back to the front of the class with a sullen face.

"Bad news, kids." She said. Each student started murmuring while paying attention to their teacher. "What is it?" Shiho called out from the back of the class. Yoshimi shook her head while she took a deep breath.

"...As of currently--"

"...Just last night, Nagisa and Honoka have been missing from their homes."

Everyone gasped as the room fell into total silence. "I know it shocks you but we must continue on with our assignments." Yoshimi said, handing out their work.

"This seems suspicious." Shiho whispered to Rina. "Yeah, both are missing... Weird. I wonder where they've might've gone to?" Rina whispered back.

They all begun working with tension rising up each of their throats.

* * *

-_In the Land of Compasses_- 

"Wowee, it _is_ dark down here." Nagisa said as she and Honoka walked along the tunnels. They both held lanterns, the extra ones dangling at their sides. They could hear Mepple and Mipple quietly weep. Especially Porun, whom Honoka was holding.

"It stinks." Mepple sneezed, his sneeze echoing throughout the darkness. "I know. It smells like a skunk came in here and died." Nagisa joked, plugging her nose. "Funny, Nagisa. Now I feel sick." Honoka said.

They continued walking down straight along the oddly damp path. They saw candles dot the walls, but they were about to burn out. So Nagisa took the liberty of lighting some.

"Hey, come on." Honoka said. "I need a new candle for my lantern." Nagisa carefully took a candle off it's holder, and slid it inside her lantern. It grew brighter, and soon they could see an additional couple of feet. Honoka sighed and did the same to her lantern.

They started walking again.

Some mice ran past their feet, and a few bats startled them about fifteen minutes later. "Who knew bats and rats live here?" Nagisa said, knees shaking. Honoka nodded, equally as scared.

And then they heard something rumble above them. A few pebbles and dirt fell. Then they heard a low growl. Nagisa, about to be scared out of her wits, turned around. The last thing she saw was two big red eyes some several feet behind them before the two girls ran away, screaming as they went.

They had dropped their lanterns so they had to run and follow the other dimly lit candles. "Keep running!" Honoka shrieked. Nagisa sped up, so Honoka had to run faster. When Nagisa looked over her shoulder, she could see a dark, monster-like figure chasing them.

"Waaaaagh!!!" They screamed again. Suddenly, their Aurora Jewels they wore around their necks started glowing brightly. But they were too freaking scared to even notice the Jewels were glowing. The light filled this entire part of the tunnel, making whatever was chasing them rear back.

The Jewels bought enough time for them to escape, just in time because they found more steps leading up.

"Keep going!!" Nagisa shrieked. They ran faster up because they could hear the monster run after them again.

They came to a door, but it was jammed shut. "Kick it, kick it, kick it!!" Honoka cried, hearing the monster's feet coming closer to the steps. Nagisa frantically kicked the door. With one last desperate kick, she managed to kick it open. They ran across this tiny room similiar to the other room. Nagisa kicked the other door again. It easily swung open, and they dashed out of the shack. Nagisa shut and locked the door and caught up with Honoka several feet ahead behind some trees.

The two randomly climbed up one and held their breath to wait for the shack's door burst open. But it didn't. It stayed shut. They waited a few more minutes just in case.

"Whew..." They sighed.

"That scared me-popo!!" Porun weeped from inside Nagisa's vest. His head poked out from the top. Nagisa pulled him out and hugged him. "Ssh, it's okay." She said.

"Now where are we-mipo?" Mipple asked. Honoka quietly peeked out from the branches that made some what of a fort for them. "Hey, look!" Honoka said.

Nagisa crawled over and looked out as well.

For what they didn't notice earlier, there were trees here and there but, amazing of all, were the thousands of little flowers everywhere. Some were even red in color, making this meadow mixed with beautiful colors adding with the lushiest green grass they've ever seen.

"Wow." Nagisa breathed. "I guess we're in..." Honoka added.

"...The Scarlet Meadows."

* * *

-_In the Garden of Rainbows_- 

By the time the two girls reached the meadows, it was close to noon in the Garden of Rainbows.

"Yoshimi-sensei?" Shiho raised a hand. "Yes, Shiho?" Yoshimi said. "You said Nagisa and Honoka were missing, right?" Shiho asked.

"Yes. I just got a message from the principle. I'd like to help look for them but we have school to deal with." Yoshimi sighed. "Well, it's just about time for lunch. You're all excused until 1:00."

-_Later_-

"It's a little lonely, eating without Nagisa." Rina said, taking a bite out of her rice ball. "Yeah." Shiho agreed. They ate where they usually sat with their friend, but they had to eat without her.

Just a couple minutes later Shiho threw her hands up. "I can't take it anymore!" She cried. She suddenly stuffed the rest of her lunch in her mouth, gobbled it down, then took a huge swig of her water. Shiho stood up and left. "Hey, where ya going?" Rina asked.

"You dumbo! To look for Nagisa and Honoka-san!"

* * *

-_In the Land of Compasses_- 

Nagisa climbed down the tree when Honoka threw Porun at her into her arms. Honoka climbed down too. "Let's look for Crimsonburg. It's got to be around here." Nagisa said.

They started walking again, in the direction where they saw a small trail leading somewhere. The two took this moment to take in their surroundings. The air smelt fresh, the flowers smelt sweet, and the trees gave off a thick aroma.

"It'd be nice to have a place like this back home." Nagisa took a deep breath, savoring the smell of the flowers they passed. "Aaah..." Porun sighed. He seemed to have liken this too.

Mepple and Mipple 'poof'-ed into animal form. "What nice weather-mipo." Mepple stated, for it was sunny and few clouds were in the sky. "Nothing can spoil this peacefulness-mepo!" Mepple added.

And then, suddenly, they heard a very loud roar that made a gust of wind blow against their backs. The wind made Mepple and Mipple flying.

"Mepo!!"

"Mipo!!"

"Yikes!" Honoka yelped. Nagisa stumbled to her feet. "What was that--" She asked, but something in the sky answered her question. The thing flew right over them, causing the sun to be blocked out by it's enormous size. They were both too startled to say anything: they had never seen anything so gigantic before.

It flew off, the sun shining again. They watched as it flew away towards a small castle in the distance. It made another loud roar, this time it could've been heard for miles.

When it had gone, Nagisa and Honoka gulped. "What the heck was _THAT_?!" They shrieked. "Don't know-mipo." Mipple said, waddling sluggishly back to them. "It's scary-popo!" Porun weeped.

"And you said nothing was going to spoil this peacefulness." Nagisa stared at Mepple. "I know, but whatever that was, it came up out of nowhere!" He replied.

"I think, by judging it's appearance, it must've been a dragon of some sort." Honoka said, remembering how the thing looked. "Dragon??!" Nagisa repeated. "Well, what else do you see that has big wings, sharp talons, fierce looking teeth and a noisy roar like that?" Honoka put her hands onto her hips.

"Well..." Nagisa mumbled, looking in the direction of the small castle. Then they continued on their walk to Crimsonburg. It didn't feel so pleasant now, because of the dragon they just saw.

They crossed a small river, and past a few more trees. About ten minutes passed when they saw a small sign that said:

_ Crimsonburg ---  
_

_--- Auroraport _

"I guess we're almost there." Nagisa said. She was right, they started to see houses. They came to in front of this gate. An arch overhead said, '_Welcome to Crimsonburg_'. Honoka opened the gate, and they entered.

Many critters were wandering around here and there, and they were surprised to see a small shop beside a small motel. They stopped to let Mepple, Mipple, and Porun play around with some butterflies.

"May I help you two?" A critter turned into human form and walked up to them. "We're looking for someone that knows about the castle close to here." Honoka politely asked. "Well... The mayor knows about that monster that lives in there. Look for a house that's red." The person pointed to the other part of town.

"Okay, thanks." Honoka smiled, then she and Nagisa got the other three and went to look for said house. "Red house... Red house..." Nagisa mumbled over and over. They scanned the second neighborhood for a house that's red. But... Almost all houses were red.

"Where's the mayor's house?" Honoka asked a stranger. "Right there." The critter pointed in front of them. "Oh, okay." She said. She and Nagisa went up to the house and knocked. "Hello?" They chorused. They heard the door open.

"Yes?" An elderly critter asked. "We need to be answered a few questions." Nagisa said. They were lead inside to a small sofa. The walls were painted a pale coral, and the rug was a deep maroon. "Okay, now what do you three need to be answered?" It asked.

Honoka took a deep breath. She pulled out the map from Nagisa's pocket and showed it to the mayor. "We're wondering if you know something about this castle." Nagisa pointed to said castle on the map.

"Oh, that dreaded place... Oh, how do I know much about there." The mayor's voice became firm. He coughed a little, then sat straighter in his chair.

"There's a dragon that lives there, supposedly guarding a rare treasure. Many brave people gone to retrieve the treasure but everyone that went, never came back." The mayor explained. Nagisa twitched. "And, just a year ago--"

"My beloved grandson left to go get the treasure, but like all others, never returned. This town's population has been slowly decreasing ever since the dragon came. I know it sounds horrible, but there's nothing we could do to defeat that dreaded dragon." He shook his head in disgrace.

"Oh..." Honoka put a hand to her mouth. "Well, what could we do to defeat it?" Nagisa asked.

"Apparently nothing." The mayor replied. "We don't seem weak as we look. I'm sure we could do at least something about the problem." Honoka said. "I see." The mayor nodded.

"If you two brave girls are willing to fight off the dragon for us... Here." He stood up and walked over to a small drawer where he took out a key. "You need this." He handed the key to Honoka.

"Okay. We'll try our best to defeat it for all of yous." Nagisa slammed her hands onto the coffee table. "Oh my. You two sure about this? Rumors have it that the dragon eats anything it has it eyes set on. And could easily destroy it's own castle with it's own force." The mayor asked them.

"Don't worry. We handled things much worser." Honoka added. Nagisa nodded in reply.

"Very well. Come with me."

* * *

-_Later_- 

"Now, good luck on your quest." The mayor waved. "We will!" Nagisa said. Some people were waving too. "Farewell!"

Nagisa and Honoka went out of town and back in the direction of the castle again. They had passed a weird looking boulder so that what must the key has been for. "A-Are you two s-sure about this-popo?" Porun shakily said. "We're sure." Nagisa patted him.

"The mayor said a dragon lives there... It's probably the one we saw an hour ago-mepo." Mepple added. "Yeah, but we'll still try to fight it." Nagisa said.

Another twenty minutes gone by when they came back to the peculiar boulder. "Key, please." Nagisa held a hand out. Honoka gave her the old, antique-like key.

Nagisa inserted it inside this small slot, and turned. Suddenly, the boulder jerked, then started glowing. Text formed on top of the rock. Honoka read aloud the words:

"_Thou that shalt enter my castle..._

_Beware of dangers aforth_

_Turn backth now or face the consequences..._"

Nagisa shuddered. "Scary." She said. Then the boulder suddenly moved aside like someone invisible moving it. A trail leading right to the castle appeared.

"Whoa." They gasped.

This trail seemed treacherous, for thorn bushes lining it and sharp rocks in the oddly colored dirt. "Okay, you ready, Nagisa?" Honoka turned to her friend. "Right, Honoka. Let's go." Nagisa said. Holding hands, they walked down the trail towards the gnarly-looking castle, home of the dragon.

_To Be Continued_

* * *


	5. Castle of the Dragon

New chapter, yay. Sorry if I hadn't updated in so long. bows The next chapter will be the fight between the Scarlet Dragon and the girls. Spoiler!

Okay, enjoy reading.

-**SilentDreaming**-

* * *

-_In the Garden of Rainbows_-

"Shiho...? You think this is okay?" Rina asked. "Of course." Shiho said, checking behind a bush. They've been out since lunch and it was about 2:45 p.m. Yoshimi-sensei must be furious by now, if not, worried.

"We've searched this part of the city and no sign of both of them yet." They sighed together.

"It's strange for them to just disappear like that. _Poof!_" Rina said, snapping her fingers to the poof. "I know. Someone probably kidnapped them but that's another story." Shiho set her bag down and gone inside a convenience store.

When she came out, Rina was surprised to see that Shiho had her arms full with numerous, king-size chocolate bars. "Nagisa won't be able to resist these!" Shiho got a mischievous smile.

"What about Honoka?" Rina asked. "You get some sour candy. They just received a huge stock of them. Nagisa-san told me that Honoka has a very secret habit of eating burgers!" Shiho grinned even more.

"You're a genius!" Her friend said as she gone inside. Later, she came out with about twenty overfilled, small brown sacks with the microwaveable burgers in them. "What a bargain! Only 200 yen for all of this!

"Let's get to work." They picked up their school bags and started leaving their sweets around in places where nobody else would find them but Nagisa and Honoka would easily.

It took them quite a while to leave the candy around in different places. Half of their supply have reduced. "Whew... That was hard work." Rina wiped sweat off her forehead. And then they saw two poor-looking kids staring longingly at a toy train in a display window.

"I'll give the rest of these to those two." Shiho walked up to them and gave them both the rest of the chocolate bars. The kids thanked her and left with glee.

"Good job there." Rina slapped her on the back. "Yeah, yeah. Let's go." Shiho said, then they left for home.

"I hope Nagisa and Honoka will take the bait!"

* * *

-_Back in the Land of Compasses_-

"Scary." Honoka whispered, as she and her sandy-haired friend passed a peculiar-looking tree which seemed like it had claws for branches. And thorn bushes were everywhere they looked.

"I wonder how the lost townspeople of Crimsonburg got to the castle?" Nagisa wondered aloud, climbing over some rocks in the way. Honoka took a while to catch up because she was wearing her best skirt and it had cost alot of money.

"Depending on these conditions, probably half a day for just one trip." Honoka replied, dusting her knees. "...Another to get back-mepo, if anyone survived-mepo." Mepple added from Nagisa's commune.

"Remember what the mayor said? Anyone that has went there never came back-mipo." Mipple corrected him. "Oh yeah." Mepple mumbled.

An estimated thirty minutes passed when the imposing, ominous walls of the castle loomed in front of them. "Here we are." Nagisa breathed.

There was a small bridge leading to a huge door, with several windows here and there. A moat of about 10 feet deep was under said bridge. And the stone walls were an additional 20 feet up, encasing the rest of this castle inside from intruders.

The turret shingles were a deep maroon, and the walls of grey marble. Each turret sprouted from the main structure of the castle, and the biggest turret looked more like a tower than a part of this frightening place. A winding staircase was on it's exterior.

"I guess it lives up there." Nagisa said. Right then, they heard a huge roar. "Yikes!" They yelped, running towards the door and hid inside. When the door shut, they heard the dragon fly around.

They could hear it's wing beats which sounded like large drums in the distance. They heard another roar as it started flying away.

When Nagisa peeked out, it was flying back in the direction they had came from. "It's gone." She whispered to Honoka. She sighed in relief.

"Now, where are we?" Honoka suddenly asked. They were inside a tiny room, a hallway leading both left and right. Another door was across from them. They went over to it, and opened.

They had entered the main courtyard, with a old and leaky fountain in the center. Withered flower gardens where here and there. The fountain's water looked dark and murky.

"The rumors are true, it _is_ terrorful here-mepo." Mepple shakily said. "By the way, where's Porun?" Mipple asked Honoka. "We left him back with the mayor." She replied.

Nagisa and Honoka warily checked their surroundings then fully entered. Their shoes cracked over loose pebbles as they begun walking. They could hear ravens gawking at them with their scarlet eyes. "Freaky." Nagisa said. Soon, they had gotten to a large door. An archway was built above it. When they looked up, the castle looked even more enormous from there.

The two entered. Inside was a large hallway leading down, and a red carpet underfoot. Stone windows with no glass covering them lined the walls. Arches gone up the very steep ceiling, which seemed to be at least 30 feet up. They were shocked to see animal skeletons here and there.

"Eww-mepo." Mepple said. "It's musty and dry in here." Honoka sniffed the air.

The skeletons became scarcer down the hallway, thankfully. If this entire castle was cleaned up, it would look like this place was just finished being built. Instead, just bats, rats, and bones were all over the place. No sign of any townspeople.

"Now I'm not a fan of the bone decor-mipo." Mipple said, peeking out of Honoka's commune to look around. "Notice the rat bones-mepo." Mepple looked at a tiny set of bones drying in the sunlight, some of the flesh still on it.

"That's just gross!" Nagisa's face turned green.

When they gone through another door, it smelt even mustier in here. Dimmer sunlight poured in through the shrunken windows, just near the ceiling. There were cages with no walls inside in between to their left and right. They were also surprised to see skeletons again.

"Gross. I think I'm gonna barf if I see more bones..." Nagisa gagged. But then she spotted a set of bones clutching a weathered letter. She walked up to it and took the letter from the bones. The letter looked old, the inner parts still fresh. Just the edges looked worn.

"Look at this, Honoka." She waved her friend over. Honoka gone up beside her, and they read the letter together:

* * *

"_If anyone finds this letter, you've guessed that I'm dead by now._

_I'm Akai, the mayor of Crimsonburg's only grandson. I was brave enough to come here with four of the bravest men in town, my friends, a year ago. Sadly, they fell into the clutches of the dreaded Scarlet Dragon._

_When my friends have fallen, I tried escaping for I have found out it's greatest weakness but it had gotten both my legs so I couldn't walk any longer. I came here, to write down what I've found out before the last minutes of my life vanishes._

_The Scarlet Dragon's weakness is that you need a special plant that grows in the garden back in Crimsonburg. If the Dragon eats this plant, it'll start writhing in pain and rendered completely defenseless briefly. Though it breathes fire, it greatly hates spicy things and this plant is the known spiciest thing in the Land._

_Grab at least four stalks of the plant, and prepare yourselves to fight. Go out of this very room, go up the staircase, go through another door, past the Sleeping Beasts, up more stairs, go through the left door, across the room over the spikes, another staircase, then up the staircase you probably had seen outside on the biggest turret, leading to a door, and there's the room of the Dragon._

_Luckily, as I write, I still have two stalks of the plant. If you dig in a small sack, you'll find the stalks. The Dragon would be defenseless with only one stalk but with more, it'll become totally immobilized._

_Mist begins to veil my eyes, my strength fading away... So, thou who reads this letter to this point, I'm about to leave this land. So, if you ever manage to defeat the Dragon..._

_Please give my little sister the tooth necklace I've made from a tooth from the very Dragon. Tell her and my grandfather I--"_

* * *

It was then the writing stopped, and they saw drops of blood splattered onto the page over the next sentence, obscuring it. Nagisa and Honoka knew what was written next anyways.

Tears were streaming from their eyes. They've never saw such sad words. It brang on their tears. When Nagisa took the tooth necklace Akai's skeletal hand was clutching, she cried softly. She gripped the necklace hard though it wasn't breaking.

Wiping the tears away, Honoka picked up the sack tied around the skeleton's waist (in human form, not animal form). She dug through the dusty leather and felt something dry.

She took whatever felt dry, and gasped as she had the two stalks of the spice plant mentioned in Akai's letter. Nagisa fell to her knees and cried out louder again. "S-stop crying-mepo. You're m-making m-m-me cry too!" Mepple said.

Honoka tucked them safely in her pocket and started comforting her friend.

"There, there, Nagisa. For Akai's and the townspeople's sake, let's defeat the Scarlet Dragon." Honoka told Nagisa, her tears coming back. Nagisa stayed quiet a bit. Then she stood up suddenly.

She let Honoka hold the tooth necklace. The very tooth looked five inches thick, and big as a kitchen knife is long. The tip was smoothed out, but if left sharp it would've cut Nagisa's palm.

"Come on Honoka, let's go." Nagisa said, rage and determination replacing the despair and grief in both her eyes and voice. Honoka nodded while she slipped the necklace into her pocket.

And then they left the room, following the directions in the letter.

In the next room, the two girls walked up the stairs, skulls littering the steps like shreds of paper. Soon, they arrived at another door at the top of this staircase. When Nagisa was about to open it, she heard loud snores inside. "Must be the Sleeping Beasts." Honoka stated, reading the letter again.

Nagisa took a peek inside, and gasped as she saw huge creatures the size of refridgerators. She shut the door. "They're huge!!" She yelped. "Well... how much were they?" Honoka asked. Her friend held up ten fingers. "Times this twice. There's twenty!!"

"Let's find another way around the room. There's no way I'm not going in there-mepo." Mepple suggested. Honoka looked for a way, she noticed that the window to their left. When she looked out from it, she also noticed the ledges were big enough for them to walk over.

Honoka climbed out, and started sidling on the ledge. "Whatcha doing?" Nagisa asked her, looking out the window. "Follow me!" Her brunette-haired friend hissed.

Doing as she said, Nagisa sidled alongside her.

They carefully gone past the two windows of the room with the Sleeping Beasts in it. They had to go so careful that they won't accidentally awaken them. Several tense minutes gone by then they had gotten across and into a window past the room.

"Whew..." Nagisa sighed, wiping the sweat off her forehead. And then they continued following Akai's directions. They scaled up a rather steep staircase, and when the two girls got to the top, they saw two doors: one to their left and right. "This way." Honoka pointed to their left.

When they gone through it, they gasped as they saw dangerously sharp spikes protruding out from the floor in numerous rows. "Now how are we going to cross over _this!?_" Nagisa cried, throwing her arms upward.

"Look at that-mipo." Mipple looked towards a rope dangling from the ceiling. There were several more ropes, at least a foot high off from the spikes. "Wow." Honoka breathed. And, without warning, she ran towards the closest rope.

She grasped it as she flew off the ground, still holding on. She let go at the highest height and flew towards the next rope. She swung again, and repeated the same thing until she gotten to the other door.

"Your turn, Nagisa!" Honoka waved. Nagisa's face gone pale, and she looked at the spikes. She gulped, and retreated a few steps back. With one boost of speed, Nagisa ran for the first rope and swung on it.

"There you go! Keep going!" Her friend cheered. Nagisa smiled, but then, her hands slipped. She shrieked as she started falling down. Honoka closed her eyes and prepared for the worst.

Right before her body hit the spikes, Nagisa's jewel glowed brightly. It suddenly swept Nagisa up into the air like she had skidded off a ski jump. Amazed, Honoka watched when Nagisa floated in front of her.

"That was awesome!" Honoka exclaimed. Shocked by what just happened, Nagisa looked down at her Aurora Jewel. "I guess it could sense our danger and could do things." She said, touching it.

They kept going. They were getting closer to the room where the Scarlet Dragon is lurking, probably waiting for them to arrive...

_**-To Be Continued-**_

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End file.
